A Perfect Song!

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I know its an oldie being released in 94, i found this back in 02 when i started to be able to appreciate music. I noticed that as i get more experienced in life, the affinity and understanding with this song grows. The song is "Last Goodbye" by Jeff Buckley.

I love the diverse lyrical perspective this song takes on, encompassing the many emotions found in love from uncompromised passion to loss; experience and companionship; a mix denial and acceptance. I also love how this song sings in differing faces and manages to tell a story. This can be seen where the first two verses are unified/ungendered where either/both parties in a relationship participate; then to the climactic fallout where a single voice (from either side) sings to ther other party. Following the fallout, the woman sings verse 4, the man's take in verse 5. This is of the rare songs that doesn't sing one sided (eg "boohoo he left me, waah! was i not pretty enough, i will be eternal lonely").

lyrics aside, the instrumentation is pure zen with a sensational buildup in to the what i see as the song's climax (A)2:00-2:27. I recommend listeners to just "feel" the music/strings during the instrumental section between 2:28-3:06 in contrast to stanza 3 (A). These sections capture the polarity of love from the overwhelming feelings of falling for someone (like a first kiss) to pure grief and loss, if a breaking heart was musical, then it'll sound like this.

You know its genius when a song of loss can feel so right...

... if only quality music still came out in today's ulehektikdoofblingGplaya world...

The cover of Hallelujah is great too. I was reminded of how great that song is a little while ago when I picked up the "Senor and the queen" EP by The Gaslight Anthem where in one song he pinches the "minor chord fall and the fourth and the fifth, it's a broken hallelujah" line.

Actually, it is fitting to have The Gaslight Anthem mentioned in a "perfect song" thread. If you haven't heard of them, check them out. Amazing band.

The cover of Hallelujah is great too. I was reminded of how great that song is a little while ago when I picked up the "Senor and the queen" EP by The Gaslight Anthem where in one song he pinches the "minor chord fall and the fourth and the fifth, it's a broken hallelujah" line.

Actually, it is fitting to have The Gaslight Anthem mentioned in a "perfect song" thread. If you haven't heard of them, check them out. Amazing band.

+2 for lover you shouldve come over.

anyone heard that unreleased song that was recently (or not so recently) released? "forget her"??

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In response love for "Lover, you should have come over"; i am aware it is usually the favorite of jeff buckley fans, and for a long time it has been a favorite of mine aswell. But i find that with my life experience, the song "Last Goodbye" holds more affinity to my being. "Lover, you should have come over" while capturing a person's core emotion in grief, regret and desperation, is a bit too tragic for my tastes nowadays; "Last Goodbye" for me is a song of release for while it mourns, it also gives closure.

And for the person who chimed in about "Forget Her" that is another one of his powerful songs, the instrumentation is amazing during the 'intermission' section which is unfortunately cut out in the music video, somehow the image of 'jailhouse blues' comes into mind when i listen to this bit. The lyrics and voice have great range from the sedate second verse (my favorite) to the closing verse (a close second) where the energy and charge in his voice truely pierces the soul. A song of pain, a pure winter's night song.

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an addition to the awesomness of the song "Last Goodbye", i'd like to add the introduction up to 35 seconds, the effect and instumentation creates a powerfully emotive effect. In accordance to the theme of the song i imagine a half of the broken partnership caught in a private and still moment of mental/emotional desolation as he (or she, but as i'm male, i would see a he) watches the sun rise following a previous night's farewell from his partner. I especially love the guitar whine effect from 25-35 seconds, rivalling the effects used in another song of Buckley's, Mojo Pin.